NEXT LEVEL album tracks now available on dwango.jp! (interludes revealed)

[Coelacanth]

"NEXT LEVEL" doesn't seem like it'll be that "NEXT LEVEL" from what I can hear. I don't mean that negatively, but none of the songs made me sit up and go "wow, this sounds like it's out of her comfort-zone!" (I might still just be numb because of B&D though, lol)

I think maybe Ayu is trying to make her sound a little more relevant and current with the times. A lot of her songs (see tracks 11-14 on GUILTY) can sound pretty dated and a lot of younger people might find this type of sound "uncool" in 2009, you know? Especially since the Japanese seem to finally be catching up with Western music trends.

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by Coelacanth

"NEXT LEVEL" doesn't seem like it'll be that "NEXT LEVEL" from what I can hear. I don't mean that negatively, but none of the songs made me sit up and go "wow, this sounds like it's out of her comfort-zone!" (I might still just be numb because of B&D though, lol)

I think maybe Ayu is trying to make her sound a little more relevant and current with the times.

Really, nothing is out of Ayu's comfort zone. Nothing worth trying anyway.
Country? No way.
R&B? She could do it, and I think she has some R&B elements in her music, but it doesn't fit her and that genre is hottzy anyway. Lol.
Ayu has done most everything, or anything that is worth trying. She does what she likes. I think this album is a perfect example of the type of music she should be doing. It fits her so well.

And I don't want another B&D/Pride...

[Coelacanth]

Originally Posted by all.night.raver

Country? No way.

I don't know why, but I've always felt Endless sorrow ~gone with the wind ver~ had a country vibe to it. Maybe idk lol.

Anyway, I think as far as instrumentation goes she should leave her comfort zone more often. One thing that has bugged me for a long time is that she's been neglecting the acoustic guitar as a prominent instrument in ballads. The acoustic guitar is a little bit rougher and folk-ier than the piano so I think it'll work better with this "man" voice she has going on now, especially in "Curtain call". She's also never worked with real brass instruments, and I think the only song featuring a wind instrument is "Close to you".